Display device

Abstract

Disclosed is a display device including a display panel, a voltage generator, a current detector, and a current controller. The display panel includes a pixel for receiving a driving voltage. The voltage generator generates the driving voltage, determines a voltage level of the driving voltage based on a voltage control signal, and performs a protection operation in response to a protection signal. The current detector detects a driving current of the display panel and outputs a current signal corresponding to the detected driving current. The current controller includes a current comparison unit that generates a result signal by comparing a present current level of the current signal from the current detector to a previous current level and a protection operating unit that receives the result signal and outputs the protection signal based on a change in the load and a difference between the target current and the current signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display device comprising:
 a display panel including a pixel and receiving a driving voltage;   a voltage generator connected to a first voltage line, the first voltage line transmitting the driving voltage generated from the voltage generator to the pixel;   a current detector connected to the first voltage line, the current detector detecting a driving current of the display panel through the first voltage line and outputting a current signal corresponding to the detected driving current; and   a current controller connected to the current detector, the current controller outputting a voltage control signal and a protection signal to the voltage generator, and receiving the current signal from the current detector,   wherein the current detector terminates a transmission of the current signal and further transmits a response signal to the current controller, and   wherein the current controller includes:   a protection operating unit configured to determine whether to output protection signal based on whether the response signal is received.   
     
     
         2 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein, when the response signal is not received from the current detector, the protection operating unit outputs the protection signal, and
 wherein, when the response signal is received from the current detector, the protection operating unit does not output the protection signal.   
     
     
         3 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the protection operating unit includes:
 a fault determination unit configured to output a fault signal based on whether the response signal is received; and   a protection determination unit configured to:   receive the fault signal from the fault determination unit,   generate an accumulation signal by accumulating the fault signal, and   determine whether to output the protection signal by comparing the accumulation signal to a predetermined reference signal.   
     
     
         4 . The display device of  claim 3 , wherein, when the accumulation signal is greater than the reference signal, the protection determination unit outputs the protection signal, and
 wherein, when the accumulation signal is less than or equal to the reference signal, the protection determination unit does not output the protection signal.   
     
     
         5 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the current controller includes:
 a load calculation unit configured to calculate the load based on the input image data; and   a current control unit connected to the load calculation unit to receive the load, the current control unit setting a target current corresponding to the load, and outputting the voltage control signal by comparing the current level of the target current to the current level of the current signal.   
     
     
         6 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the display panel includes the first voltage line through which the driving voltage is supplied,
 wherein the current detector is connected to the first voltage line to detect the driving current, and   wherein the pixel includes:   a light emitting element; and   a transistor disposed between the first voltage line and the light emitting element and including a gate electrode which is controlled by a data signal.   
     
     
         7 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display device; and   an electronic module coupled to the display device,   the display device comprising:   a display panel including a pixel and receiving a driving voltage;   a voltage generator connected to a first voltage line, the first voltage line transmitting the driving voltage generated from the voltage generator to the pixel;   a current detector connected to the first voltage line, the current detector detecting a driving current of the display panel through the first voltage line and outputting a current signal corresponding to the detected driving current; and   a current controller connected to the current detector, the current controller outputting a voltage control signal and a protection signal to the voltage generator, and receiving the current signal from the current detector,   wherein the current detector terminates a transmission of the current signal and further transmits a response signal to the current controller, and   wherein the current controller includes:   a protection operating unit configured to determine whether to output protection signal based on whether the response signal is received.